Shoe sole



Nov. 28, 1944; E, E RQLLMAN TAL '2,363,995

SHOE SOLE Filed Jun 24, 194s INVENTORS` By WW fnew( ATI' 01E/15175 Patented Nov. 28, 1944 A UNITED Nsumas PATENT* eprice j i l Q Y 2,363,935 u l y y snonsoLE i lErnest E. Rollman and Robert Beauvais, "New" York, N. Y.; said Rollman assigner to American Research` and Development Corp., Long vIsland `(litre.` a corporation of Delaware shown in Fig. 3) so that the outer ends 5 of each Application June 24, 1943, serial No. 493,054 j ,.s'ciaiiiis.. A(crac-so).

slotareclosed, `the slots thus assuming V"atriangujlar or` tapering formgwidest at theirwin'ner ends l and'narrowing toward their closed outerends Withi the blank held in compressed condition similar normal characteristics of rigidity and 5 a flexible liner 1 of heavy canvas or the like is durability. glued or cemented to the upper surface of the An object of the invention is to providea shoe sole (as shown in Fig. 4) and the sole is then sole in which a normally rigid material is so i ready to receive any desired upper parts accord- -formed as to have adequate flexibility without ing to the type of shoe being constructed. loss of durability. 1 After the `compressed sole has been secured to A further object is to providesuch a shoe sole the liner 'l it can no longer bend either downin which flexibility in more than one direction is wardly or laterally because the slots are closed so modied during the assembly of the parts that at their outer ends 5, but these slots are free to the completed sole will flex only upwardly. open from the bottom in order to permit up` A further object is to provide certain improveward flexing of the sole as in walking. ments in the form, construction and arrange- The modified construction shown in Figs. 5 ments of the several parts, and in the steps foland 6 is particularly suitable vfor use when it is lowed, whereby the above and 'other objects may intended to apply a heel wedge or iiller from the effectively be attained. heel to the instep of the shoe. In this form the A practical embodiment of the invention is upper surf-ace of the sole is recessed between the shown in the accompanying drawing in which points 8 and 9 and a liner I0 is tted in this Fig. `1 represents a planV View of a shoe sole recess with its upper surface substantially ush blank after it has been slotted transversely, with the adjacent toe and heel areas of the sole. Fig. 2 represents a side elevation of the blank 25' In `the preferred use 0f this invention the S018 shown in Fig. 1, l is intended lto lie substantially flat and to consti? Fig. 3 represents a plan View of the blank as tute lthe entire bottom surface ofthe shoe. When compressed longitudinally preparatory to mountembodied `in a mans shoe it may be desirable to ing on a flexible liner, add some standard form of low heel which will Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of the blank 30 not materially Change theflat pOSitiOrl 0f the S016, shown in Fig. 3 mounted on a flexible liner, but when used in a womans shoe it is preferable Fig. 5 represents a top plan View of a modified i to provide all the elevation of the heel by means form of sole, and of a wedge or ller secured to the top of the Fig. 6 represents a side elevation of the sole sole, as referred to in connection with Figs. 5 shown in Fig. 5. and 6. Referring to the drawing, a blank l of wood or Soles constructed as described have no objec-` the like is cut to the desired outline, as shown tionable tendency to pick up stones or dirt, since in Fig. 1, the length of the blank being slightly the slots are very narrow and only open a slight greater than the desired length of the finished distance when the sole is flexed. i In this console.- The blank is then slotted, as by saw cuts, nection it is also important to note the tapering to provide a series of slots 2 extending from each l form of the slots when at rest, and the further side of the sole toward, but not to, the opposite fact that the inner end 6 of each slot remains side and arranged alternately, a suitable number substantially constantin widthwhile other parts l of such slots being eight to sixteen on each side of the slot open progressively more and more depending on the dimensions of the sole. The (when flexed) as the outer edge is approached, toe portion 3 and the heel portion 4, in which due to the torsion of each narrow strip of mateilexibility is not needed, are left in their original l rial between two adjacent slots. The danger of rigid condition. Throughout the slotted area the the sole breaking when flexed` is ,minimized by sole blank is quite iiexible in both vertical directhe distribution of` the strain along the total tions and somewhat exible laterally. Since the length of all the strips, which thus constitute, only exing which is 4desirable is that in an in eiect, a long torsion spring folded into comi upward direction, 'the blank formed as just depact zigzag form. scribed is next compressed longitudinally (as A preferred material for making the soles is laminated wood composed of three to live layers.

hence we do not intend to be limited tothe particular embodiment herein shownfandf; described.

but

What We claim is: l 4 1. A shoe sole comprising a body of normally vrigid material provided throughout its mrd-.die

portion with a plurality of slots extending. alternately from each side edgefjltlleole -toward the opposite side edge, the-,slotstbeing,..closedoat their outer ends and open at theirzinnenaemds.

2. A shoe sole according to..claim .1.` nwhich a. liner of flexible fibrous material is secured to the upper surface of the slotted body. v3... A, shoe. soleaccording1 to ..cla.im,1in which .the upper surfaceof.the...slotted bodyis. recessed ...throughout k.the ...area of the `slotted ,}1:ortion and swhicha...liner vof flexible .brous..ma.terial is secured to said upper surface within said recessed area.

4. The method of making a shoe sole which comprises, providing a body of normally rigid 5 material in substantially the shape of the sole,

cutting a plurality of slots through said body at its middle portion, said slots extending altermately-, from feach side edge fithe sole toward "thefoppositewedge, compressingth'eslotted body. 10 longitudinally to close the outer ends of the slots, and securing the body in its compressed condi- ..tion- `5, The method of making a shoe sole accordywirtggstof'clairnfli -fwhich includes securing the body ""Ilin itsxcompres's'ed:condition to a liner of flexible librousmaxeral.

'fThemethofd of making a shoe sole accord- .ingtto claimtimwhich includes forming a. recess throughout the area of the slotted portion and sezocuring Athe vbody in its compressed condition to ,avzfliner. of .flexible'.fibrous-{material},positioned in said recess. y 

